Register resetting mechanism



June 13, 1950 Filed Nov.'l 14, 1945 c. P. GRIFFITH ETAL 2,511,159

REGISTER RESETTING MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HAM/EV MPV'L INVENTOR.

A BY MVM/75W June 13, 1950 c. P. GRIFFITH ETAL v 2,511,159

REGISTER RESETTING MECHANISM Filed Nov. 14, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2Patented June 13, 1950 REGISTER RESETTING MECHANSM Clement P. Gri'ithand Harvey E. Marvel, Fort Wayne, Ind., assigner-s to Bowser, Inc., FortWayne, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application November 14, 1945,Serial No. 628,458

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a register resetting mechanism. Morespecically, it relates to an hydraulically operated resetting mechanismfor a register such as is used in a gasoline dispensing pump.

Heretofore, it has been common practice to reset the register beforeeach dispensing operation by rotating a crank which extends through thehousing.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device for automaticallyresetting a register.

It is another object of this invention to provide an hydraulic devicefor resetting a register.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a registerresetting mechanism which is operated by liquid from a pump atsubstantially the pump by-pass pressure.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a registerresetting mechanism which will complete the resetting operation once itis initiated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a, registerresetting mechanism which begins to operate substantially as soon as thepump is started and completely resets the register before dispensing canbe started under normal operating conditions.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an hydraulic Isystemwhich resets the register.

A further object of the invention is to provide a register resettingmechanism which returns to its initial position When the pump is shutdown.

Still another object of the invention is to provide means for restoringthe resetting mechanism to its initial position quickly and smoothly.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide power storing meansto restore said resetting mechanism to its initial position when thepump is shut down.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an hydraulic registerresetting apparatus having a positive action.

These and other objects will become apparent from a study of thisspecification and the drawings Which are attached thereto and made apart thereof and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a gasoline dispensing pump chassis showingthe pump, motor, air release, meter, register and hydraulic resetcylinder, sight glass and the connecting conduits.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the register and hydraulic cylinderpartially in section as viewed from the left of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of thehydraulic cylinder, piston and valve.

Figure 4 is a section showing the number wheel aligning mechanism takenon the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section of the apparatus of Figure 4, taken on the line5-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the check and relief valve.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic view of the air separator and associatedparts.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the numeral I designates thedispensing pump in general, having a base 3 and a frame 5. A crossmember'I is welded to the frame above the base and supports an air separator 9having a suction stub I I for drawing gasoline from a storage tank (notshown). The air separator is of the conventional type used in a gasolinedispensing pump as shown in Patent Number 2,286,536, to Clement P.Grilith, having a suction chamber I0 and a float chamber I2. A pump I3has a manifold I5 having one channel connected to the suction chamber(Figure '7) at I4 and another channel connected at I6 to dischargeliquid into the separation chamber I8, at which point the gases and somespray are separatedfrom the liquid and discharged through orifice 24into float chamber I2, where further separation occurs and gases pass tothe atmosphere through vent 20, while liquid passes back to the suctionchamber I0 through the float controlled valve 22. A by-pass port 26,controlled by relief valve 28, is located in the air separator betweenchambers I8 and I0. A tubing connection I'l enters the side wall of thesuction chamber of the air separator, while discharge conduit 29communicates with the lower part of the separation chamber I8, throughelbow 2l.

Motor I9 operates the pump through the v belt 2l, and the pulleys 23 and25 attached to the motor and pump shafts, respectively.

Conduit 29 leads from the elbow 2l to the meter manifold 3I (Figure 6)which is divided into an inlet chamber 30, a check valve chamber 32 anda discharge chamber 34. Conduit 29 discharges into chamber 30, which isconnected by a port 36 with chamber 32. A spring loaded check valve 38closes the port, but opens in response to ow therethrough. The checkvalve is provided with a relief port 40 which is controlled by a reliefvalve 42 and closes in a direction opposite to that of the chuck valve.

Chamber 32 connects with the inlet port of meter' 35 and chamber 34receives metered liquid discharged by the meter. Conduit 43 is connectedto receive liquid from the chamber 34. A tube tting 33 enters thechamber 30 of the manifold.

The meter 35 is suspended from a cross-member 31 by screws 39 (Figure 2)which pass through the positioning spacers 4|.

rihe conduit 43 connects chamber 34 with a sight glass manifold 45having two sight glasses 41. The sight glass manifold discharges into aconduit 49 having a fitting 5| which receives the usual dispensing hose52 and nozzle 54.

The meter is connected by a shaft 53 to drive the resettable registers55. The registering mechanism, indicated generally by numeral 58, restsupon supports 51, which are secured to the cross-member 31 by screws 39and to the registering mechanism by studs 59 and nuts 6|. Studs 59 arepreferably welded to the base 63 of the registering mechanism.

The registering mechanism which is used is preferably that disclosed inthe W. M. Carroll Patent No. 2,229,370, issued January 21, 1941, forLiquid dispensing apparatus. Accordingly, it is believed unnecessary todescribe the mechanis/m in detail.

The rectangular side frames 61 of the mechanism 58 are fastened to eachside of the base 93 by screws 69 and extend above the base. One of theside frames provides a bearing for Shaft 1| (Figure a) and a similarbearing for shaft (Shaft 1| corresponds to shaft 13 in the Carrollpatent.) The other end of shaft 1| is supported by bearing in bracket11, the latter i also providing a similar bearing for the other end ofshaft 13. Shaft 1| is rotatable in the bearings and carries a sprocket19 which is fixed to the shaft by pin 8|. An idler sprocket 83 (Figure2) is carried in a similar manner by shaft 13.

A register resetting drive gear 84 is loosely mounted on a hub 85 whichlis secured to the shaft 1i by key 91 and set screw 89 (Figures 4 and5). The hub carries a pair of spaced projecting ears 9i into which arethreaded the adjusting screws 93. The gear is provided with a projectinglug 95 which is received between the ears 9| and the adjusting screws93. By loosening one screw and tightening the other, the relativeangular positions of the shaft 1| `and the gear 34 may be varied. Thismechanism is used to adjust the alignment of the numerals on theregisters with the fixed indicators on the dials all as disclosed.

A chain 91 (Figure 2) engages the sprockets 'i9 and B3. One end of thechain is hooked to a spring 99 which is anchored to a clip |9| welded toone of the spacers 4|. The other end of the chain 'is fastened to thepiston rod |39 of an hydraulic cylinder 0| The cylinder is secured tothe base 63 by screws |93 and nuts |05, which engage the upper flange Ilof the cylinder body H3. The cylinder body has a bore 5 extending upfrom thc bottom and terminating in an inlet passage ||1 having a neck H9concentric with the bore depending into the cylinder. A flat valve face|2| is machined on the end of the neck and the sides of the neck aremachined as at |23 to receive the recess |91 formed in piston |25. Aboss |21 has a tapped inlet hole |29 which receives a tube fitting |3|(Figure l). The inlet hole communicates with the inlet passage ||1 ofthe cylinder. A bearing |33 and a counterbore |35 for a toroid packing|31 are provided in the top of the cylinder for the piston rod |39. Acotter Din |41 passes through holes in the upper end of the rod and thelower link |43 of chain 91 to connect the rod with the chain.

The lower end of the rod |39 is provided with two reduced portions |45and |41 (Figure 3). The portion |41 is threaded. A piston |25 is mountedon the threaded diameter |41 and is held in place against a washer |61,which seats on the shoulder formed at the juncture of the portions |45and |41, by means of washer |1| and nut |13.

The piston is comprised of a leather |49 having an upturned lip |5| onits periphery which is adapted to seal against the cylinder wall ||5, ametal follower |53 acting as a spreader inside the lip |5|, a follower|55 of Bakelite or similar material of the same diameter as the metalfollower placed on the opposite side of the leather, and a metal supportplate |51 slightly smaller in diameter than the follower, all assembledas shown in Figure 3 and held in position by rivets |59 passing throughholes |6| in each of the aforementioned pieces. The follower is in theshape of an annular ring. The leather, the Bakelite follower |55, andthe support plate |51 have a centrally-located hole |63 to permitpassage of the threaded end |41 of rod |39 and also have a series ofaligned, radially spaced ports |65.

A pressure responsive valve |15 comprises valve body |11 which iscircular in shape and has a concentric hole |19 acting as a bearing forthe valve body on the rod portion |45. A counterbore |9|, concentricwith the hole |19, is formed in the lower part of the body and providesclearance over the washer |61 when the valve is in closed position. Twoconcentric sealing rings |83 and |85 are formed on the lower part of thebody adjacent the counterbore and the bottom. The rings seat on theleather |49 and span the holes |65. A radially directed peripheral ange|81 is formed on the upper portion of the valve body and has a face |89.

A spring |9| thrusts against the face |89 and e the top surface of theleather |49 to normally maintain the valve in its open `position asshown in Figures 2 and 3. The hub |93 of the valve body is concentricwith the hole |19 and, together with shoulder on the shaft |39, limitsthe upward stroke of the valve. The hub slopes downwardly away from thecenter and joins the peripheral wall |91 which has a chamfer |93 on theinside at the top.

The neck |23 of the cylinder body ||3 telescopes into the cavity 20|formed between the hub |93 and the wall |91. Ihe surface |2| of the neckand the bottom surface 203 of the valve body form a metal to metal sealwhen the valve and piston are in the up position. The spring 99overpowers spring |9| so that the piston is piled against the valve toseat rings |83 and A cylinder head 205 having a discharge passage 201and a threaded discharge outlet 209 to receive a tube fitting 2| I, isfastened to the bottom of the cylinder ||3 by screws 2|3. A pad 2|4 onthe inside of the head provides a stop for the piston on its downwardstroke, the pad engaging the threaded end of the piston rod |39..

A tube 2|5 connects tube fittings 33 and |3| on the meter manifold 3|and the hydraulic cylinder |9| respectively. Another tube 2|1 connectsthe fittings |1 and 2| of the air separator 9 and the hydraulic cylinderhead 205, respectively.

The motor I9 is--started and stopped by a switch 23|, which is actuatedby a rod 233 at-` tached to be actuated by the hose nozzle hook 235.

Operation The dispensing pump shown is of the conventional type, havingthe hose 52 connected to the tting and the shut-01T nozzle 54 at theopposite end.

When it is desired to deliver liquid, the nozzle is lifted from the hook235 which is then actuated to in turn close switch 23| to start themotor I9 which drives the pump I3.

A short period of time elapses between the starting of the motor, theinsertion of the nozzle tip into a i'ill pipe and opening of the nozzlevalve to dispense liquid. During this period the pump is operating atsubstantially by-pass pressure and the fluid under b-y-pass pressure isutilized to reset the registers.

The piston |25, when the pump is inoperative, should occupy itsuppermost position in the cylinder due to the action of the spring 99.The valve should be closed and the seals 2|l3|2| and |9l||9 areestablished. However, should the valve not be closed, the seal |91| I9at least will be established.

When the switch 23| is closed, the motor I9 and pump I3 are started and,since the nozzle valve is closed, by-pass pressure of about to 25 p. s.i. will be created in the pressure side of the pump which includeschamber 58 of the air release, pipe 29, and chamber 30 of the manifold3|, while a partial vacuum will exist in the air release chamber l0.

Since the upper end of the cylinder ||3 is connected with the pressurechamber 3B and the lower end is connected with the partial vacuumchamber l0, a differential pressure will be applied to the valve |15 andit will close the ports if, for any reason, it has not already closedthem. The pressure on the valve will move the piston and valvedownwardly until the seal |9`|||9 is broken, whereupon the diierentialpressure will be applied to the entire piston and valve area. Thispressure will hold the valve closed on the piston and will force thepiston downwardly. This pulls the chain 91 down and rotates the sprocket19 and the resetting shaft 1| in a clockwise direction (Figure 2). Theshaft drives yoke 9|, which in turn drives the reset gear 84. Thismovement is then transmitted to the resettable registers 55 throughgearing which is not shown.

The described motion of the chain also rotates idler sprocket 83 andextends spring 9-9, building up power for retrieving the piston to itsstarting position when the pressure is relieved on the inlet side of thepiston by shutting down the pump.

When this occurs, the pressure is relieved on the upper side of thepiston and valve so that the valve spring |9| lifts the rings |83 and|85 oi the leather |49, opening ports |65 to permit rapid passage of theliquid through the piston as the spring 99 pulls the piston upwardly toits initial position.

Thus the apparatus is restored to its initial position. The connectionbetween the resettable registers and the resetting means normallyincludes a one-way ratchet drive, and this drive idles as the resettinggear 83 is rotated in the reverse direction by the spring 99.

The stops |2| and 2M limit the piston stroke and the adjustmentmechanism 9|, 93, etc., of

Figures 4 and 5 insures Vthat the register wheels line up with theirdial opening when the lower stop 2 |4 is contacted by the piston.

It is obvious that various changesmay be made in the form, structure andarrangement of parts without` departing from the 4spirit of theinvention. Accordingly, applicant does not desire to be limited to thespecific embodiment disclosed herein primarily for purposes ofillustration; but instead, he desires protection falling fairly withinthe scope of the appended claims.

vWhat we claim to be new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

1. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, the combination of a resettableregister, a pump, suction and discharge conduits connected to said pump,means for starting and stopping said pump, an hydraulic cylinder, meansfor connecting the outlet and inlet of said cylinder to said suction anddischarge conduits respectively, a piston in said cylinder, means forconnecting said piston to reset said register, a port in said piston, avalve adapted to control said port, said piston and valve having initialpositions, a cylindrical sleeve, connected with said inlet and disposedcoaxially within said cylinder, a sleeve on said valve adapted totelescopically and sealingly engage said first named sleeve when saidvalve is in its initial position, whereby liquid from said pump isapplied to the valve to close the port when said pump is started and isthereafter applied to said piston as the seal between the sleeves isbroken.

2. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, the combination of a resettableregister, a pump, suction and discharge conduits connected to said pump,means for starting and stopping said pump, an hydraulic cylinder, meansfor connecting the outlet and inlet of said cylinder to said suction anddischarge conduits respectively, a piston in said cylinder, means forconnecting said piston to reset said register, a port in said piston anda valve adapted to control said port, said piston and valve movingbetween initial and operated positions, telescoping members on saidvalve and connected with said inlet, said members being constructed andarranged for telescopic and sealing engagement when said valve occupiesits initial position, whereby liquid from said pump is applied to closesaid valve when said pump is started and is thereafter applied to saidpiston as the latter is moved from its initial position.

3. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, the combination of a resettableregister, a pump, suction and discharge conduits connected to said pump,means for starting and stopping said pump, an hydraulic cylinder, meansfor connecting the outlet and inlet of said cylinder to said suction anddischarge conduits respectively, a piston in said cylinder, means forconnecting said piston to reset said register, a port in said piston anda valve adapted to control said port, said piston and valve movingbetween initial and operated positions, telescoping members on saidvalve and connected with said inlet, said members being constructed andarranged for telescopic and sealing engagement when said valve occupiesits initial position, whereby liquid fromv said pump is applied to closesaid valve when said pump is started and is thereafter applied to saidpiston as the latter is moved from its initial position, and means forstopping said piston in the operated position.

4. In a liquid dispensing apparatus, the combination of a resettableregister, a pump, suction 7 and discharge conduits connected toV said:pump; means for starting. and stopping saidi pump, an hydrauliccylinder, means for connecting the outlet and inlet of saidcylinder'tosaid. suction and discharge conduits respectively, apiston.in said. cylinder, means for' connecting said piston to reset saidregister, a port inv said piston and a valve adapted to control said.port, said pistonl andz valve moving between initial and operatedlpositions, telescoping members on said Valve and' connected with` saidinlet, said members being constructed and arranged for telescopic. andsealing engagement when said valve occupies its' initial position,whereby liquid from said pump is applied to close said Valve when saidpump is 15 8 started: and'. is thereafter' appliedI to said piston asthe latter is moved fromv its initial position, and yieldable means foropening said valve when said pump is stopped. Y

CLEMENT P. GRIFFITH. HARVEY E. MARVEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,947,383 Dayton Feb. 13, 19342,289,003 Foss --Y July 7, 1942

